A Flower for the Queen: A Historical Novel by Caroline Vermalle, Ryan von Ruben Page B
Authors: Caroline Vermalle, Ryan von Ruben
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the damage to the cause of science and even to Sir Joseph’s reputation if you were somehow to be implicated. Naturally, I would compensate you for your assistance—”
“A man of my background? Compensate?” Masson was stunned.
“Come now, Masson, there’s no need to be prudish. I am well aware of the tight purse that Sir Joseph has given you. I am not without some means, and I am sure that I could make your life, and that of your family back home, much more comfortable if you were to simply misplace that report. In any case, these things get lost all the time — ships flounder in storms, or get raided by pirates — you probably wouldn’t be doing anything that fate wouldn’t do herself.”
Masson started to say something but then stopped, realising that there was no point. Instead, he just turned and walked back towards the party.
“Don’t you walk away from me, Masson. I am a member of the Royal Society! I demand that you do your duty as a servant to science! Masson!”
Masson kept walking, and gradually Forster’s shouts were drowned out by the night sounds of the Gardens, the music that came from the Governor’s house and that haunting, whooping laugh that came from the menagerie.
C HAPTER 16
C ANADA , 21 N OVEMBER , 1805
“Forster was lucky,” the old man said with a wry smile. “As he stormed off, the last thing I heard Captain Cook say was that if it weren’t for all the witnesses, he would have fed the scientist to whatever creatures were making that baleful noise.
“But I think in truth that he was happy to be given an excuse to be on his way. It was chilling to think that even there, at the Governor’s own house, surrounded by all that finery and gentility, animal savagery seemed to lurk constantly on the periphery, just out of sight.”
“I know just what you mean,” Robert whispered conspiratorially.
The old man leaned closer to the boy, a quizzical look on his creased features. “You do?”
“Yes, sir. When I was little, we used to go to Grandmamma and Grandpa’s house, and it was enormous. I even had my own bedroom. But they said that I was not to go out into the garden by myself because there wild animals in the woods.”
The old man looked across and saw that the old woman had not even paused in her needlework as her grandson continued his tale.
“One time I heard Grandpa tell a story about how, before they were married, Grandmamma saved his life when she shot a bear that had wondered into the garden, but Grandmamma said that he was just making up stories to stop us children from going out alone.”
“Well, I suppose sometimes it’s good to be frightened,” the old man said. “Fear can keep you alive.”
“Fear can also stop you from living,” said Jack, puffing out his chest as if getting ready to launch into a well-prepared speech.
“Is that what you were thinking when you went after Mr Masson in the snow?” asked his father, who had appeared in the doorway.
Jack started to reply and then bit back his answer, his cheeks flushed.
“I guess Grandpa didn’t learn his lesson, though, because one day he went out hunting alone and he was killed by a bear. After that, Grandmamma came to live with us, and now I have to share a room with Jack, but I don’t mind because Jack says that soon I will have the room all to myself—” Robert was cut off by his older brother, who cleared his throat at the same time as giving his younger a sharp nudge with the toe of his shoe. The blow was hard enough to make the boy wince but well concealed so that no one seemed to take much notice — except for the old man, who saw everything.
“So, Mr Masson,” Jack said, making a show of checking his notes, “you were telling us about the party at the Governor’s house?”
The old man smiled, happy to be caught in the harmless conspiracy. “So I was. Now, where did I leave off?”
C HAPTER 17
As Masson re-joined the party, he saw Schelling and Willmer deep in conversation.
“A man of my background? Compensate?” Masson was stunned.
“Come now, Masson, there’s no need to be prudish. I am well aware of the tight purse that Sir Joseph has given you. I am not without some means, and I am sure that I could make your life, and that of your family back home, much more comfortable if you were to simply misplace that report. In any case, these things get lost all the time — ships flounder in storms, or get raided by pirates — you probably wouldn’t be doing anything that fate wouldn’t do herself.”
Masson started to say something but then stopped, realising that there was no point. Instead, he just turned and walked back towards the party.
“Don’t you walk away from me, Masson. I am a member of the Royal Society! I demand that you do your duty as a servant to science! Masson!”
Masson kept walking, and gradually Forster’s shouts were drowned out by the night sounds of the Gardens, the music that came from the Governor’s house and that haunting, whooping laugh that came from the menagerie.
C HAPTER 16
C ANADA , 21 N OVEMBER , 1805
“Forster was lucky,” the old man said with a wry smile. “As he stormed off, the last thing I heard Captain Cook say was that if it weren’t for all the witnesses, he would have fed the scientist to whatever creatures were making that baleful noise.
“But I think in truth that he was happy to be given an excuse to be on his way. It was chilling to think that even there, at the Governor’s own house, surrounded by all that finery and gentility, animal savagery seemed to lurk constantly on the periphery, just out of sight.”
“I know just what you mean,” Robert whispered conspiratorially.
The old man leaned closer to the boy, a quizzical look on his creased features. “You do?”
“Yes, sir. When I was little, we used to go to Grandmamma and Grandpa’s house, and it was enormous. I even had my own bedroom. But they said that I was not to go out into the garden by myself because there wild animals in the woods.”
The old man looked across and saw that the old woman had not even paused in her needlework as her grandson continued his tale.
“One time I heard Grandpa tell a story about how, before they were married, Grandmamma saved his life when she shot a bear that had wondered into the garden, but Grandmamma said that he was just making up stories to stop us children from going out alone.”
“Well, I suppose sometimes it’s good to be frightened,” the old man said. “Fear can keep you alive.”
“Fear can also stop you from living,” said Jack, puffing out his chest as if getting ready to launch into a well-prepared speech.
“Is that what you were thinking when you went after Mr Masson in the snow?” asked his father, who had appeared in the doorway.
Jack started to reply and then bit back his answer, his cheeks flushed.
“I guess Grandpa didn’t learn his lesson, though, because one day he went out hunting alone and he was killed by a bear. After that, Grandmamma came to live with us, and now I have to share a room with Jack, but I don’t mind because Jack says that soon I will have the room all to myself—” Robert was cut off by his older brother, who cleared his throat at the same time as giving his younger a sharp nudge with the toe of his shoe. The blow was hard enough to make the boy wince but well concealed so that no one seemed to take much notice — except for the old man, who saw everything.
“So, Mr Masson,” Jack said, making a show of checking his notes, “you were telling us about the party at the Governor’s house?”
The old man smiled, happy to be caught in the harmless conspiracy. “So I was. Now, where did I leave off?”
C HAPTER 17
As Masson re-joined the party, he saw Schelling and Willmer deep in conversation.
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